Chapter Three: Rebels and Ladies
Osiris yawned as he climbed out of the bed, ignoring the young servant girl as she quickly scrambled for her clothing, holding back her urge to run from the king’s room. He pulled his brown leather pants on and cinched the laces in the front before walking over to his desk to grab a satchel of coins. He paused momentarily as he stared up at the last painting of Leonetta’s mother that existed in the Kingdom of Avalon. A twinge of sadness hit his chest, but he pushed it aside and covered it with bitterness.
“Here,” he said, tossing the girl several coins. “For your trouble. You probably are behind on your tasks and will have to work late.”
The girl nodded and scurried out of the room, tucking the prize in her dirty, woven pockets. She looked to the left as she slinked through the halls, catching the back of Leonetta as she hurried down toward the dungeon. The girl thought it weird the princess would be visiting the dungeons, but shook the thought from her mind, knowing it was much more important she never pay attention to the happenings of the castle. Her name was Ida, and she had spent nineteen of twenty-three marks of life inside the castle walls. She had learned a few tricks to survival, especially when the king was so volatile and his commander would torture random servants, when he was angry enough.
As she disappeared into the maze of hallways leading to the kitchen, Osiris emerged, dressed and ready for his meeting with the Council. Though he had chastised Oedipus for his constant search for revenge, the words of a coup didn’t sit well in his stomach. He knew the castle was falling into ruin with the serious lack of crops and resources that plagued his lands. He walked toward the chapel, feeling a prayer to the gods was necessary before releasing his plans to his advisors.
The sanctuary was grand, and the flickering of the candles cast ominous shadows across the chapel walls. Rows of wooden benches lined the pit of the chapel, where groups of valiant knights and ladies would sit and ask the gods for mercy in this dark time. Osiris searched the altar for Ardontis, who usually waited to give leadership through prayer between his king and the gods, but he was nowhere in sight. Osiris knelt in front of the large statue of the crown, shining gold flames shooting through and around it as a symbol of the ever-burning fire linking the king to the gods.
He sat silent for a moment, asking the gods for their wisdom before his mind began to drift off. He fumbled around, attempting to get his thoughts in check but ended up just standing and lighting a candle before turning to leave the sanctuary. For years, he had paid homage to those he believed lit his path to greatness but was unable to find the space in his mind to truly ask for their guidance. As he stepped out of the sanctuary doors and turned to walk toward the meeting room, he saw Ardontis and Leonetta standing close and speaking. Leonetta turned as she saw her father and bowed.
“Father,” she said in a stiff voice, “I was just going to seek council with the gods myself.”
“Leonetta,” he said, stepping forward in awe as to the likeness she held to her mother. “You are beautiful as always. Revel in your time in sanctuary.” He kissed Leonetta on the head and watched as she quietly walked into the sanctuary and closed the doors behind her, making eye contact with him one last time. He turned to Ardontis.
“I wondered where you were,” he said with a quiet tone.
“Yes, forgive me, Your Grace,” he said as they turned and began walking to the meeting. “Leonetta needed council for her upcoming nuptials.”
“Ah,” the king said, his mood lightening a bit. “Yes, the wedding. Remind me, I need to speak with you in confidence after the meeting.”
“Of course,” Ardontis said, bowing his head. They walked in silence the rest of the way and watched as the guards held the doors for them.
As they entered, the four men sitting at the large, rectangular, wooden table stood and bowed slightly. The king walked toward the table, taking each man’s facial expression in, wondering what mood his advisors would be in that day. Oedipus stood loosely as he always did. To his left was the king’s empty chair, and to his right was Lord Chirus, the Exchequer of the Kingdom. He was an older man, who wore small glasses, and lines wrinkled his forehead from sitting in dark offices, squinting at financial books all day. The king could never tell where his information would lead as his face always held a look of concern.
Across the table from Oedipus sat Verian, a fae, who had stayed in the kingdom despite his people’s move across the sea to the Vale. He never held an expression of anything other than calm, as most fae would. His long, silver hair glistened, and he wore a small necklace around his neck that held a triangular charm representing the fae nation. The king disliked his homage to the fae but understood they were a loyal people, to the death. He was in charge of the welfare of all non-human creatures that lived within Avalon. He was a disagreeable man, always looking to better the lives of those in the kingdom instead of following orders, but the king found that having him as a revered councilman was vital to keeping the ogre, shifter, and fae communities in check.
Next to Verian sat Delphius, the man that kept the connection of the sanctuary and the city intact in times of hardship. His long, brown robes grazed the floor, almost completely covering his sandals. As with all devotees to the gods, his head was bald, and a small, oval symbol was marked on his forehead. He answered directly to Ardontis.
The men waited for the king to be seated before sitting back down and loosening the tension in their shoulders slightly. Ardontis sat at the other end of the table, directly facing Osiris. He looked up at Ida as she filled his cup with wine, her cheeks blushing slightly at the thought of her moments earlier in his chambers. He looked away without care and took a gulp of his wine, setting the glass down in front of him and taking a deep breath. He looked to Ardontis in a manner that signaled his readiness to begin the meeting.
“Oedipus,” Ardontis spoke after clearing his throat, “tell us of your journey to recruit the untamed dragons.”
Outside the walls of dragons, and far to the north were a small range of mountains. For years, the king believed that the stories of wild, natural dragons were just that: stories. However, during a long, tiresome trip to the realm of Allenforth for the king’s daughter’s wedding, they found that these interesting, non-shifting creatures were alive and well in the Allenforth mountain pass. Once this was discovered, the king became almost obsessed with recruiting and training these creatures for his army. The King of Allenforth, Levontis, gave his blessing, laughing at the thought that anyone could get close enough to attempt to communicate, much less tame them for battle. But the king didn’t wish to tame them, just teach them, as their ferocious nature held a great benefit in the throes of war.
“It didn’t go as planned,” he said angrily. “These beasts refused to yield to reason. We are regrouping from our losses and are set to go back out in two days with a much more assertive tactic.”
“So close to your wedding?” Ardontis asked.
“Well, barring one of my own men taking me down, I don’t plan on not coming back,” Oedipus said, laughing.
“We wish you well then,” Ardontis said, turning his gaze to Verian. “And what news do you have for us, Verian? Any new magical happenings around the realm?”
“The shifters are restless,” he began with a tone that calmed the men in the room. “Word of a possible alliance with shifters and Gillian has been floating through the realm. They are worried they have been forsaken by their kin. As we all know, shifters have never fought against each other and wish to keep that peace.”
“I knew it,” Osiris said, slamming his fist on the table. “My own blood is betraying the very kingdom that gave them the ability to be free from poverty many years ago. By none other than my father and the former king. Traitorous.”
“Calm yourself, Osiris,” the Ardontis snapped. “There has been peace between the realms for over a hundred years. Until this rumor finds any validity, there is no reason to strike. We are not looking to start a war for no reason.”
“Nor can we afford one,” Lord Chirus stated, his crackly, deep voice drawing the attention of those at the table. “We barely have enough to sustain our kingdom with the crops gone and our need to import from other realms. The last expense we need is war.”
“Our freedom and rule are hardly something you can put a price tag on, Chirus,” Osiris said bitterly.
“Well,” Chirus replied, “if your choice is to fight with the bones of those in our kingdom dying from starvation, be my guest. But money for new steel for weapons is not within our reach.”
“How dare you mock me,” Oedipus said in a low voice. “Be careful, old man, or your bones will be the first to be utilized.”
“Gentlemen,” Ardontis spoke loudly, “fighting among ourselves is pointless. Oedipus, we need to find the money for your attention to war. Remember, you are tasked with the safety of our realm, while Chirus specifically does the counts. He only speaks the truth to you, and no more.”
Oedipus sat back arrogantly and motioned to Ida for a refill of his cup. She scurried forward, pausing to top off the king’s first. The commander took a long drink and placed his cup back down, fiddling with the etchings as silence crept through the room.
“What say you, Your Grace?” Oedipus asked firmly but with respect as he looked to Osiris. “Money is scarce, and if we continue to fiddle with numbers, the more our country falls into decay until the old man has an empty ledger.”
“I say as I have said before,” Osiris said without much thought. “I am aware of the issues we are facing, but jumping into a war that may be no more than the wagging tongues of our realm is pointless and reckless. You focus on the dragons and your wedding to my daughter. For now, we will monitor. Send two of your shifters out this afternoon and have them report back their findings.”
The king’s request for a scouting mission pleased Oedipus enough to move away from the talk of war and onto to other mundane issues in the kingdom. The meeting seemed to drag on as Osiris’ mind flittered back and forth between war and having the evening to himself. When the meeting was completed, the men left, leaving Oedipus, Ardontis, and the king standing at the front of the meeting room. They watched as the servants took their cue and scurried from the hall.
“I’ll be taking the horse and wagons this time,” Oedipus stated. “I will not come back without these dragons.”
“Be safe,” the king said, patting Oedipus on the shoulder and watching as he took his leave.
“That was less painful than usual,” Ardontis said as the two men walked out of the room and toward the dungeon stairs. When it came to the king’s request for his thoughts on things, Ardontis requested they speak in his chambers, where he knew their conversation would only be heard by damp, dark hallways and rats scurrying along the corridors. The king hated going into the dungeons, but he knew his thoughts would be safe there.
The king pulled his robes close to him as they descended the stone staircase into the darkness of the dungeon. Ardontis had been there so long it didn’t bother him, but Osiris could remember following his father down as a child–on the outside, holding a demeanor of bravery, but on the inside, being terrified of the stretches of tunnels underneath the castle. If he had it his way, he would have a locked door at the top of the staircase.
Once inside Ardontis’ room, the king relaxed a bit and sat down in the large chair facing Ardontis’ desk. The Faith stood momentarily until the king nodded for him to sit comfortably. The king looked around the room as if he had never been there before, though he had spent much of his time after his wife’s death in council in that very room. He crossed his legs at the ankles and stretched them out in front of him.
“I am sure your whispering mouths have told you that I am planning to hand the crown over once Leonetta is wed,” the king stated. “But, that being said, I am beginning to worry about the kingdom’s future with Oedipus. I need your kind assurance for my restless mind.”
“Your Grace,” Ardontis said placing his hands on his lap. “You will remain on the council, I presume?” He watched as the king nodded. “Oedipus looks to you for guidance; he always has. He will follow your instruction.”
The king looked to the side, beginning to sink into his own thoughts. Ardontis played the princess’ words over in his mind, knowing it was pertinent that the king give his crown to Oedipus in order for their plan to take flight. He stood and walked around the room, thinking of the best words, stopping as a lightbulb went off in his mind.
“I shall draw up a decree,” he said, turning to the King. “It will explain that once the king hands his crown to the successor, he is able to take the throne back in the case that the successor is not suitable to fulfill the title under the gods. You, for all intents and purposes, are still the chosen one, even after you move from the throne.”
The king sat quietly for a moment, rolling Ardontis’ words over in his mind. Ardontis stood frozen, worried the king had taken his thoughts as treasonous instead of truthful. He knew the king had become weary and tired and wouldn’t take the throne back unless absolutely necessary. Luckily, later on, these types of choices could be changed. For now, though, a decree under the gods from Osiris would ease his mind and keep him from changing it, keeping Avalon in dismay and seizing Leonetta’s plans.
“This is a brilliant idea,” the king replied, a look of excitement in his eyes. “Do this immediately, but keep it quiet until after the wedding. You have relieved my mind, Ardontis.”
Ardontis bowed as the king stood from his chair and pulled his robes back around him. He walked to the door, flung it open, and quickly scurried back through the dungeon halls. The Faith stayed behind, smiling to himself, proud of the wit he had exhibited. Once the king reached the stairwell, he made haste back to his chambers, longing for the quiet of his room. As he approached the chamber doors, he grimaced slightly at the sight of Oedipus standing there, holding a folded and sealed paper in his hand.
“Your Grace,” he said, bowing. “I have a letter from Allenforth, where Lady Mary is staying with her sisters.”
The king showed Oedipus into the room, slightly worried, considering he never heard from Mary unless she were in the kingdom visiting Leonetta. She had married the king, knowing he would never love her, but the idea of taking care of the king’s daughter and having her family safe was enough for her to live in a loveless marriage. She was cared for, and the king made sure to always speak with respect to her, realizing a fondness for her presence from time to time.
“Well,” the king said, taking a deep breath and facing out the window, “read it aloud then.”
Oedipus released the wax seal and unraveled the parchment. He took in a deep breath realizing the letter was from the King and not from Mary. He was too afraid to read ahead, so he spoke the words as they met his eyes.
Dearest Friend,
I hope this letter meets you in good health and harmony. Unfortunately, this letter is not in good news. In the early hours, just after Mary had arrived in our care, she took the mare from the stable to go on her normal, early morning ride through the countryside. After the early morning sun had reached a peak in the sky and Mary had yet to return, we sent the guards to search for her. As they marched through the hill approaching the mountains, they found Mary’s horse with a letter pinned to the sash.
Rebel forces from Gillian had been close to the borders for a moon’s cycle but had shown no signs of harmful intention. However, once they came across Mary, and upon realization of her kingdom affiliation, they took her. The note states that she will be kept alive, but it lists several demands, including your immediate reply. I ask that you suit your men and travel the distance to Allenforth, where my armies are poised to assist in anything we may do to help you fulfill the wishes of the rebels and retrieve the Lady Mary.
In best regards,
King Levontis III of the realm of Allenforth and the Kingdom of Trello
As the words rolled from Oedipus’ mouth, he could feel the hair stand on the back of his neck. He watched as the king silently stood at the window looking out over the gardens surrounding the castle. His blood pressure began to rise at the thought of the sweet Lady Mary in the clutches of Gillian forces.
“Ready the horses,” the King replied. “We ride for Allenforth tonight.”
“Your Grace,” Oedipus began carefully, “don’t you believe that your kingdom needs the stability of its king in these hard times? Allow me to go in your stead. We will get the Lady Mary back.”
“For years,” the king said, turning to Oedipus, “I have wasted away in this castle, waiting for a sign from the gods that my reign as king was for nothing more than their amusement. It is time I stood from the rusty legs of that old throne and acted like a true king, as my father would have. Ready the horses.”
“Your Grace,” Oedipus stated, bowing and backing toward the door. He left the room and waited for the door to shut behind him, a smile creeping over his face. He would finally have the war he had been waiting for, and everything was aligning just as it should.